Dartmouth's women's tennis team notched a significant victory over their top rival Boston College on Saturday, Jan. 27. On its home court, the Alexis Boss Tennis Center, the Big Green won 4-3 and had retribution for the squad's 0-7 landslide last year to the Eagles.
The player of the day was Megan Zebroski '08, who successfully won Dartmouth's fourth point. On the No. 1 court she took on the tenacious sophomore Lana Krasnopolsky, prevailing 6-3, 7-5. Krasnopolsky is ranked No. 14 in the ITA East Region and is No. 71 nationally.
Zebroski defeated Krasnopolsky with an array of bewildering drop shots and touch volleys. In frustration Krasnopolsky hit a ball against the back wall and drew a point penalty.
"I like playing like that, I like moving the ball around the court," Zebroski said. "Sometimes she would do things to change up the rhythm but I was able to focus and play my game at the end."
In doubles, Zebroski and Mary Beth Winingham '10 had the first victory of the night over Eagles sophomores Lauren Cash and Dasha Cherkasov, trouncing them 8-2. Last season, Cash and Cherkasov were ranked the No. 9 doubles team in the ITA East Region.
Shortly after Dartmouth's first double's win, the team of Natalie O'Rourke '08 and Jesse Adler '10 sealed the doubles point for Dartmouth, overwhelming Eagles' players sophomore Sarah Svoboda and junior Gia Nafarette, 8-2.
"One of the keys to this match was the doubles point. We went into singles knowing we were one up and that made the difference for who won the match," senior captain Lindsay Winingham '07 said.
Lindsay Winingham and Kerry Snow '07 fought a long match against Boston College sophomores Alina Sullivan and Krasnopolsky, trying to battle back from a 5-7 deficit, but eventually lost 5-8.
"I think it is hard for those who lost the third doubles match to regroup and fight in their singles match, but the team is happy with the [doubles] point," the elder Winingham said.
In a rematch from last season against BC's Sullivan, Snow dropped a tough one 5-7, 7-5, 10-4.
Last season, in a drawn-out battle against Sullivan, Snow lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Unfortunately, after splitting the first two sets and with the match already being decided, Snow was defeated by Sullivan, 10-4 in a super tie-breaker.
"Despite being last on the court and losing, it was great to see that the team had already won the match. It was an especially hard loss because I lost in three to her last year. It is always nice when you had played someone before to see the results a year later," Snow said.
A rarity occurred in the sixth court when BC's Svoboda retired during her match, giving the first singles point of the day to Dartmouth. Svoboda immediately sought out her trainer after her doubles match and limped on a bad ankle during her singles match warm-up.
She decided to throw in the towel after Jamie Caplan '09 went up 3-0. This situation highlights Dartmouth's advantage of having a 14-woman roster, where a deep pool of players can step in if an injury afflicts a teammate.
"I did not get to play in doubles, and I was getting pretty pumped up for my singles match and was a little disappointed," Caplan said.
The Winingham sisters struggled through a difficult day in singles play. Lindsay Winingham played against Cash, who proved to be tough and scored a point for the Eagles by going 6-2, 7-5. Cash transferred from William and Mary and reached the quarters of the ITA East Regional Championships in 2005.
"I came out a little shaky in the first set, I was not really feeling the ball. But I definitely stepped it up this second set and played better than I had this fall," Lindsay Winingham said.
In the No. 2 singles Mary Beth Winingham took on Cherkasov. Winingham lost the first set and battled back in the second, but was overtaken in the end 6-2, 7-6. Cherkasov is BC's former number one player and is currently the No. 26-ranked singles player in the ITA East Region.
Adler came through strong in her singles match at No. 5 against junior Gia Nafarrete, securing a much-needed Dartmouth point with a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
"It is really important that in difficult matches, you really just stay in the present and worry about things you control. Whatever happens in the match, its how you react to adversities. It is really key and it's what we did well today," head coach Bob Dallis said.
Boston College's team slowly slid last season from being ranked No. 51 on Wednesday, Feb. 14 2006 in the Division I NCAA rankings to No. 75 in April.
The Big Green has a busy week approaching, taking on Harvard in a scrimmage on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. before playing Albany at noon and Stony Brook at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.
